Lidari has been friendless in 2014 Melbourne Cup betting, but trainer Peter Moody believes that he could not have the imported stayer any fitter for ‘the race that stops a nation’ at Flemington this afternoon.
Trainer Peter Moody is thrilled with the physical condition of Lidari heading into the 2014 Melbourne Cup. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Lidari is yet to recorded a race win this preparation, but he produced consistent performances in the Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m), Group 2 Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m), Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) and Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) before he finished sixth in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 18.
The Acclamation entire looked to die on his run in the final stages of the Caulfield Cup and there are question marks over the ability of the six-year-old to run out a strong 3200 metres, but Moody told RSN this morning that he is thrilled with the physical condition of the tough galloper heading into the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (2400m) this afternoon.
“Pedigree suggests that he is certainly not bred to be a two miler, but probably a lot of these aren’t,” Moody said.
“He is fit, he is in good shape, his run in the Caulfield Cup was competitive and he probably needed to be out a little sooner to keep whacking on.
“His work has been good and solid and he goes there a very well horse.”
Lidari was expected to be settled just behind the leaders in the early stages of the Caulfield Cup, but he was positioned midfield by jockey Ben Melham and got a lovely run into the race.
Moody said that he would like to see Lidari settled closer to the speed in the 2014 Melbourne Cup and he does not want to see the Blamey Stakes winner caught on the rail in the middle of the field as the field goes past the winning post for the first time.
“I would anticipate him being in the top half a dozen and the top ten or around there, but I will leave that up to Ben,” Moody said.
“I suppose it all comes down to tempo and it would just be nice to see him in a free-flowing position.
“You wouldn’t really like to be buried back on the fence and probably not too many would, but something is going to be there.”
Lidari is currently available at 2014 Melbourne Cup odds of $71, while stablemate Brambles has also been on the drift out to the same quote.
